CALLING ALL MODEL MAKERS AND FIGURE COLLECTORS : THE PROFESSOR!

NEWS: AS YOU WILL SEE from the short promo posted above, work is well under way in the creation of #THEPROFESSOR model kit. The character is based on the amazing monthly 'must get' comic art book that's hitting the newsstands and comic shops in Italy, THE PROFESSOR! Working on the figure is ace sculptor, ROBERTO DE MEO with colour work and painting of the model carefully created by the talented and skillful eye of DAVIDE DECINA.

WE WERE VERY PLEASED to have prize copies of the last issue of THE PROFESSOR in a PCAS Competition a few weeks ago. NOW the very likeness of Peter Cushing is being captured and enhanced in what will soon be a 1/6 cm scale model kit in resin. 

THE MODEL KIT WILL be a LIMITED EDITION, only a small number available for purchase. But, for those of you who would like to scoop one up, for your very own, we will give any news, as soon as we hear of it's availability.

MEANWHILE... issue FOUR 'SIRENA' of #THEPROFESSOR hits the stands from MAY 1st 2017. We have an exclusive peep at the cover below. MORE images and details about the model kit, in our expanded feature at the website now... Many thanks as always to Andrea Corbetta and Davide Decina!

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#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: EYEBALLS VANISHING VAMPS BODY SNATCHERS AND TARKIN!

#Gimmethegifwednesday:(when you send in YOUR requests for clips and GIFS of your favorite Cushing shots or scenes!) FOR TOM PARRY: EYES RIGHT! This is a wonderful shot from Hammer films, The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) with Peter Cushing returning as the Baron, assisted by Francis Mathews.These eyeballs were created by Les Bowie. Even though Hammer did not have a true resident effects department, Les Bowie was the man who would turn his hand, like make up artist Roy Ashton, to make the most incredible from the most basic every day, 'house-hold' items.

'Dracula ashes from talcum powder, fullers earth and sawdust!', or how about... 'Dracula's last breath supplied by a bicycle inner tube from a Tyre, deflated and inflated by blowing down a rubber tube from a tropical fish tank, hidden under Dracula's costume!' It certainly opens your EYES to what could be achievable, with some imagination and a box of bits and bobs. Bowie went on to establish his own very successful special effects department Bowie Films, which worked in tv and all manner of big blockbuster films through the 1960's and 70s.....

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY:Like or not, which ever side you are on regarding the #TARKIN #CGI debate... there are a LOT of supporters, and here at PCAS we still get requests for info about almost everyday..This GIF has been requested by 'Tarkins Puppy' ..whoever that maybe?? . But, here it is, as requested... is a interesting shot of Cushing's CGI creation to ponder over...maybe?

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: Peter Cushing here as Van Helsing, giving the check of the vitals of one poor Bob, boyfriend of Caroline Munro's Laura, in 'just add four decades of watching, and eventually, you WILL like it' #DRACULAAD1972 . The character of BOB, is one of many that appears in a Hammer film, and vanishes or falls foul of a fate, that somehow falls through a plot hole. Bob is discovered in the graveyard of the desecrated St Bartok's church. He's a dead as a dodo, but how he got that way, isn't explained in the plot. But we donned our deerstalker, and not only found how Bob-bobbed-out, but also photographic evidence, how! See our panel below. Royston Harris, THIS is for you!

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: If you compile a list of what you would personally consider to be  five titles from the Peter Cushing filmography, chances are, if you have had the opportunity to see it, FLESH AND THE FIENDS (Mania USA) would be somewhere in that list. It IS a classic. With it's mini budget, produced in a time of many bigger and more expensively promoted movies doing the rounds, this film got passed over by the cinema going public, and slipped quietly away, until television threw it a afterlife-life line, it made regular appearances on late night and afternoon tv slots, and found the audiences that should have seen it back in the day. 

Startlingly dramatic, dark and emotive. The direction of the underappreciated John Gilling, brings out the best in Peter Cushing as Dr Knox, and a quite superb supporting cast of Donald Pleasence and George Rose as Burke and Hare, body-snatchers, Billy Whitelaw and Renne Houston. Even Melvyn Hayes, just three years after appearing in Curse of Frankenstein, manages to play a poor unfortunate, without resorting to scenery-chewing or cliches. Not seen it? It's still out there to purchase, very reasonably. We did try to share it with you at our YT channel, but Youtube threatened to tear our archive down, if we so much as uploaded a flicker of it. We do try. Go see now. THIS GIF was for NICOLAS JACOBS! Fast huh?

That's it for this week. REMEMBER if you would like to request a great Cushing GIF, choose a scene, shot  or moment that doesn't contain dialogue. GIF's by their nature are muted non audio short clips , that play in rotation.

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TOOCOOLTUESDAY: THE DRESSING ROOMS OF PETER CUSHING

'Rider is a set of requests or demands that a performer sets as criteria for performance. Types of riders include hospitality and technical...'

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY : In these times of OTT indulgence, actions and re-actions... the performer and diva stands where they have always been. Wherever they want and with whatever they want. Not this sense of entitlement and behavior is anything new, they were stamping their feet and throwing out teddy in the world of entertainment back in Peter Cushing's day too. (Joan Collins in Hammer films 'Fear In The Night' co starring Peter Cushing...anyone??) The dressing room for many, is the domain of the star. Where he or she waits for the call, but more importantly where they will meet and often greet visitors to studio or the theater. So, like being judged by the position and quality of your seating, stand, balcony or Royal Box at they show, their level of influence, power and tantrum potential is measured by the level of tolerance and cringe worthy towing -the line and forelock tugging!

There are dressing rooms, and there are DRESSING ROOMS. Who could ever forget this rider :   Crystal champagne. One box of bendy straws. One special attendant to dispose of used chewing gum. Tea service for eight. A Honey Bear pack of honey. Two air purifiers. Puppy. Kittens. For Peter Cushing, his dressing room, once a place of singing, japes and fun, was in the last third of his career, something else....

 

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ROGUE ONE LIMITED EDITION SLEEVE ARTWORK RELEASED

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: Here is the LIMITED EDITION SLEEVE ARTWORK for the BLU RAY release of ROGUE ONE, ready for pre order now and in the stores April 20th 2017! As well as the outstanding feature film, the blu ray is packed with extras...PLUS some pretty cool details about the creation of the CGI of Peter Cushing's Grand Moff Tarkin and Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia. What do we think about the artwork?

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#MONSTERMONDAY: CHRISTOPHER LEE'S BILAI FROM HAMMER FILMS SHE

#MONSTERMONDAY: Today our candidate for MM is Billali (Christopher Lee), from Hammer's adventure film She 1965, Ayesha's fanatical priest (Ursula Andress), who wants immortality for himself, believing it is his due after his years of selfless service.

#MONSTERMONDAY: Billai (Christopher Lee) attempts to enter the blue flames himself and become immortal from Hammer's She (1965)

 

Principal photography of She commenced in southern Israel's Negev Desert on 24 August 1964, with scenes also shot at MGM's Elstree Studios in London when Hammer's Bray Studios proved to be too small for the project. It was the most expensive film Hammer had made up until that time, but upon release it was a hit both in North America and in Europe. Somewhat different to the Gothic horrors Hammer were producing at the time, over the years it has mixed reviews from fans. Are you a fan of the film?

 

MORE ON TARKIN CGI, GUY HENRY AND ILM BEHIND THE SCENES

#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING: Here's a NEW interview with Industrial Light and Magic's Brian Cantwell and Paige Warner, sharing their stories behind the creation of Tarkin and Princess Leia... some great behind the scenes footage too!

 

ACTOR #GUYHENRY, who helped bring the CGI #TARKIN to the screen in #ROGUEONE said this during his time in preparation for the role: '“It’s been bloody frightening, I can tell you,” Henry says, “I mean, it’s Star Wars!”  “I’m gleaning everything I can from Cushing’s portrayal of him,” Henry explained.  “I’m not a mimic, I’m not an impressionist. It’ll be…an essence, I think, of the way Peter Cushing might have approached it. I want to feel I can get within spitting distance, at least, of the task ahead. It’s very daunting, actually, to try and be a famous character in the original film. And also to emulate an actor that I myself admire.”

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#HAMMERFILMSSATURDAY : HAMMER'S ARCH VAMPIRE DRACULA

#HAMMERFILMSATURDAY: Few films from the Hammer film catalogue can have made such an impression as the first two films that both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee made for the company in 1957 and 58.... The Curse of Frankenstein and Dracula / Horror of Dracula. The second really did kick start Lee's career and both set Peter Cushing in a direction that he would never stray very far from for the rest of his career. 

In the segment above from Don Fearney's 'Legend of Hammer Vampires', Edward De Souza tells the story of just how Hammer, Terence Fisher, Cushing and Lee presented the Count and Van Helsing to a new audience. An audience that still shrieks with horror and glee today 🙂 Is this film your favorite of the Hammer / Dracula series?

#HAMMERFILMSSATURDAY: Above Johnny Alucard (Christopher Neame) watching as Count Dracula (Christopher Lee) emerges from the smoke from Hammer's Dracula AD 1972 : Requested by Chris Norman.

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#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN PRESS BOOK

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: IT WAS THE FIRST, and some say the best. Peter Cushing first Frankenstein for Hammer films in 1957. Here is the cover of the press-book, for that miles stone film... note that the 'creature is a non-descript figure in the bottom left, Hammer would say, we didn't want to give away the appearance of OUR creation. But we know, that the make and facial appearance (make up job) of Christopher Lee's 'monster' was still being finalized just days away from him stepping before the camera.....

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: TODAY WE WISH a happy birthday to the lovely Eunice Gayson. Best known for playing Sylvia Trench, James Bond's girlfriend in the first two Bond films (Dr. No 1963 and From Russia with Love 1963). Originally, Gayson was to be cast as Miss Moneypenny, but that part went to Lois Maxwell instead.

  

ANOTHER MILESTONE AND A BIG THANK YOU!

AND IF ....the sharing of the news of a long thought lost Cushing film wasn't enough excitement for today... We have just hit another MILESTONE! We have just crossed over TWENTY-NINE THOUSAND LIKES AND FOLLOWERS to this PCASUK fan page 🙂 🙂 Thank you everyone, SO MUCH! The sharing and liking of our post makes all the difference to the life and success of what we all do on this page. That is obviously working...thanks to you 😉 Next step the 30, hopefully soon! You are the best and thank you again - Marcus

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#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: RARE THOUGHT LOST CUSHING FILM TURNS UP!

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: When archiving Peter Cushing's films over the years, one the hardest to find has been a little short made by MGM as part of the public information war effort campaign called 'The Woman of the House'. Cushing's role is very brief, no dialogue. 

IT'S BEEN IN THE VAULTS of MGM probably since the mid 1940's. However, when Ted Turner of TCM made his mega purchase of the most of the MGM back catalogue, he also swept up their war time shorts too... we didn't know this until this film turned up on TCM this week!!! This is all good news.

MANY THOUGHT THE FILM was lost or destroyed. Let's hope TCM will maybe dig out the three other MGM Cushing shorts too. These also have never been seen since their screenings back in the 1940's. Many thanks to Marcia Loisel for these captures!

SYNOPSIS: Short drama about a British girl (Shirley Ann Richards) whose fiancé, after an argument, enlists to fight in the Boer War and is killed. Feeling guilty, she refuses to leave her house for 40 years, until it is bombed by the Nazis in World War II. Directed by Sammy Lee.

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